What's not to love?
by Noodle-licious
Summary: A corny Deathshipping fic for ya'll, based on a role-play with a friend.
1. Arrival

**...Okay! Well, I guess here's a little bit of Deathshipping for you! I want to first of all tell you that this is my first serious fanfic, so it won't be great. And second, this first chapter is told in third person POV, but the rest will be told by either Ryou or Mariku, because I just coudn't find a way to do this chapter in third person and still get out all of the information. Anyways, besides that, tell me what you think!**

Ryou looked down the road. The trees were shedding golden leaves, though the ground was already littered with them. Small patches of green hardly showed themselves on either side of the road. A darker-skinned figure walked towards him, his faint, pointy hair waving slightly in the cool breeze. If he walked in a patch of light shining through the trees, the item in his hand glinted and shimmered in Ryou's eyes, nearly blinding him.

"Mariku!"

Mariku was now clearly recognisable, still walking to Ryou. "Hi." he answered after a short wait. "I'm... Here." As he continued to walk, now about three yards from Ryou, a leaf fell from the tree and onto his face, surprising him.

"No! Get it away!" He yelled, not knowing what it was, and swinging his millenium rod around randomly, on account of his 'stabbing habit'

Ryou stepped backwards "Nah!" He yelled.

Mariku stopped, the leaf fluttering away in the wind. "Sorry." He continued to advance, but Ryou coontinued to evade. "What?" He shrugged, the rod in his hand.

Ryou tripped over a stone on the road, and fell backwards. "No!"

"Why? Didn't you invite me?" Ryou _had_ invited him, even though he lived here, along with Yugi, Atem, Marik and Bakura. He was never home as himself, his Hikari always had control. This was to help Ryou get over his slight fear of Mariku, to show him he can be calm.

"You'll stab me!" Obviously, it wasn't working yet. "I-I change my mind. You can leave."

"But Bakura..."

"No!" He was crawling away on his back, with mud coating his shirt and clumping in his hair. "Put- Put the rod away."

"Wha-"

"PUT IT AWAY!" He shouted.

Mariku was surprised at his tone, he had never really seen Ryou angry. "I'm... I'm sorry!" He put his Item in a belt loop. "Better?"

"Yes." Ryou tried to get up, but the mud on the road from a recent rain was slipping under him. He eventually gave up and sprawled out on the ground. "Guh." He turned his head to a half-raked pile of leaves on the lawn, next to a sapling tree. He pointed to the pile. "How about we make that bigger and jump in it?"

"Okay. We can do that."

Ryou held out his hand. "Help?"

Mariku store at Ryou's hand for a moment. What does he want? Help? Help with what? His hand looked fine. "Mariku, could you help me up, please?" Oh. He helped Ryou up, then looked over his own hand. Ryou had... Touched it. Human contact that wasn't bloody and crying out.

It sure was strange.

**As you can see, but I'll warn you anyways, this is going to be a corny fic. I know. I apologise, but like I said, it's my first serious one. Please remember to R&R if you want a better next chapter!**


	2. Little War

** NERP! Hi, I actually updated this. So, I didn't really get any reviews, so I guess it's just a bad as the others. ;A; Sorry.**

I step backwards, pulling the rake with me. A large pile of leaves was forming in the middle of the yard. I had changed from my favorite blue and white striped shirt into an old navy sweater that was sure to get dirty and most likely ripped, with a plain yellow tee-shirt under it. I gave Mariku a red sweater that was kind of big on me, replacing his purple sleeveless one that I thought was kind of useless. It had no sleeves. How does something like that keep you warm in late autumn?

"How are you doing?" I ask him.

I turn to Mariku, he was doing terrible, actually. Instead of using the rake I gave him, he was using the Millenium rod, scraping the wing-thingies on the ground, pulling only a few leaves at time towards the main clump.

"Fine. I'm doing fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm _sure_." He said very sternly.

"Try this-" I gave him my rake, and grabbed the one leaning up against the tree that he was supposed to be using. I would have continued the job, if I hadn't seen him still struggling.

Mariku was holding the rake with both hands, his thumbs pointing up. He wasn't actually raking, just stabbing the ground and still holding the rod in his hand.

"No, Mariku. Like _this_." I grabbed his wrists and turned them the correct way. He tried to pull away once, but just fidgeted after, until I let go.

He was still struggling a little, so I suggested putting it away. He rejected my idea, stating that he'll lose it. I told him that I'd just put it on a tree branch. No. So I soon approached him and attempted to grab it from his hand as he worked. He evaded me, and raised it in the air. He was too tall for me to get it. Just a little too tall, though.

After a moment of struggling, I said "Put it in the tree."

Mariku crossed his arms, and looked away from me. "I don't want to." He protested.

"That wasn't a question." I scolded back, and added in a playful tone as I picked up a handful of leaves, "C'mon!" And threw them at him.

This caught him off guard. He swung around to face me, spraying leaves in his wake. He bent over and repeated me, but he didn't have the element of surprise on his side, so I was able to dodge his ambush. What I didn't know was that he figured this out quickly and only threw half of his hand at me, so when I sidestepped, I was pelted with the damp leaves, anyways.

A few of them somehow worked their way into my sweater, and I knew that at the end of this little war, my hair would be gross. I should really cut it.

He had put his Item in the tree, and we continue to attack each other. Eventually, the leaves were everywhere, spoiling our work.

I sighed, "Well, then. I guess it's still big and squishy enough." And collapsed to the ground, thinking that the leaves were still able to cushion me, only to have the air knocked out of me. After a few seconds, I caught my breath. "Well, it's big enough." Mariku got the message and lied down next to me as I rolled over to my back.

"Well, this is... Um... Nice." Mariku broke the short silence.

"Yup." I answered, "Nice." We sat in silence for a while, then I sneezed and startled him.

"Oh, maybe we should go inside." I said, my nose running. "Aren't you cold? We could go inside, and have hot chocolate."

** Well, I guess these are going to all going to be short chapters. I should probably find a way to combine the rest of them, so in the middle of each one, there will be a point-of-view change. R&R, please.**


	3. Hurt

_** Uh... So, like I said, I joined two chapters. Also, Merry Christmas! I can't do much else, I can't write a Christmas fanfiction in one day. ;A; Anyways, here you go!**_

I sit down on a red couch, with hot chocolate in my hands and my feet up on a coffee table. Ryou was in the shower, ridding his hair of mud and leaves. I had already showered before him, and when I came out he had made me hot chocolate. I tried to take a sip of it, and it scolded my tongue and mouth. Jumping a little in surprise, some got on my chest. I groaned at the pain. It tastes great, but _feels_ like liquid Hell when it's hot, so I take only tiny sips at a time.

I figured that if Ryou likes it, maybe he'll appreciate it if I made him a cup. Walking into the kitchen, I find a few packets of hot chocolate on the counter. He must have planned to make himself some after his shower. Well, may as well save him some time.

Careful not to spill any, I pour water into a mug that was left on the counter. I attempted to open a hot chocolate packet, which surprisingly didn't open. I found the utensils drawer, and pulled out a knife. I held it up to the packet and forced the knife through it, and pulled down.

"You know, you'll scare him." I hear a familiar voice, quite like Ryou's, but not him. I spin around to find him standing there, but then notice the leather strap holding the Millenium ring around his neck.

"You!" I yell as I raise the knife.

"I mean no harm," He raised his hands in submission, "After all, I wouldn't want to ruin your little _date_ with my Hikari." A sly smile spread across his face.

"What date? This isn't a date!" I could feel my face becoming red.

Bakura had a teasing look to him. "Oh, really now? Even so, you still like him, don't you?" He began to baby talk me, "Does wittle Yami Mawik have a cwush on Wyou? Does he?"

"No!" But he just smiled at me, almost knowingly.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes, I am!" I slowly advanced on him, so that with each step I took forward, he took one back. "And so what if I did? You're dating my Hikari!"

"Hmm. I guess so." This wiped that smug look off his face for a moment, but it returned momentarily. "But there's a difference between liking someone and dating someone, you see. Dating, you both know, and accept. Liking, however, only has a _possibility_ of the other person falling for you-" His back hit a wall. His tone was still calm, yet he sped through his words. "I'll tell him!"

"Wait, tell who what?"

"Ryou that you're crushing on him!"

I compromised this for a moment. "Well..." and stabbed his leg, ( though it wasn't all that deep, I didn't get a good hit) dragging it down from his hip to his knee, all the time him screaming, then falling.

After gasping on the ground and holding his leg for a minute, he spoke. "I was-" He coughed, "-I was hoping you'd do that."

Before I could figure out what he ment, Bakura's eyes widened in fear and his smile vanished, replaced by Ryou's screaming mouth. "OH MY GOD!" He shouted, seeing his leg, and then saw me. His next expression was a terrible mix of pain, anger, and fear. "Mariku!" He saw my now scarlet knife, and now had tears streaming down his face. "M- Mariku-"

He's crying. And I have no idea on how to fix this.

"Ryou..." I reach to touch his arm, to reassure him that I wouldn't hurt him, but he slid away, smearing blood. It wasn't actually that _deep_ of a gash, maybe an inch, but it was long. Possibly on an artery. I don't know. I'm no doctor. It's times like these, though, that I wish I was.

"No!" He shouted, "Get away!"

I wasn't going to just leave him like this, so I attempt to pick him up. Ryou squirmed away, so I ended up having to pick him up in a less comfortable way, pushing him over my shoulder and holding his legs. He tried to escape, and even started beating on my back with his fists, but never managed as I carried him around, looking for a first-aid kit, or something of equivalence. The bathroom. That's where it's usually kept, right?

I sit in the bathroom with Mariku, on a stool, pantless, holding up my leg so he could wrap it. He got about halfway up my leg, stalled, and gave the gauze to me. He hung his head, and seemed to be quite mad with himself.

"I'm..." He sat there, looking at the floor, the wall, anywhere but my face, trying to find the words. "I'm sorry." He sounded angry. "I really didn't mean to stab you. It was directed at your Yami." Oh, yah. That makes me feel better. "But I do have one question." He finally faced me.

I didn't look back, but finished wrapping my leg as I answered, "What's that?" My respond sounded like a growl. More than I wanted it to, at least.

"Why did you put the ring on in the first place?"

"He told me that he wanted to speak to you." He looked worried, I didn't know why. "What did you guys say?"

Mariku's face turned from anguish to confusion. "Wait, you mean, you don't listen in on your Yami's conversations? I do that to Marik all the time."

"Well, I usually do, but this time in specific, he ordered me not to. I try to respect him with things like that, though he never returns it. Anyways, why did he say that? What did you talk about?"

"Nothing important."

"Okay, then." I didn't question him any further. He seemed uncomfortable enough.

I put on some clean/intact pants from my room, and my eyes caught on a small whiteboard on the wall. I took it down and slightly limped over to where Mariku was sitting. He saw this, and stood up to help me, but I refused and claimed that he was seeing things, I wasn't limping, and that I felt fine. These were all lies, obviously, but I could walk by myself. It only hurt a little.

"I have an idea. Instead of channeling your anger through words and through stabbing, how about we write instead of talk?" I slowly sat down next to him. He scooted away, and a little moan escaped him, but I came closer. "We won't be able to write if you run away from me like that." This made him stationary. Tired, I leaned on him slightly and he jumped a little, but relaxed as I handed him the orange marker that clipped on to either side of the board. I took the red one.

By the end, the whiteboard had contained this (He started):

So./So what?/Like I said, I'm sorry./It's fine. I know you hate my Yami./But I hurt you./No, really. I get it./Is there anyone you hate?/No not really, but I'm not exactly a fan of Atem's/Oh, me either./I know./Oh./

After an awkward pause, I erased it.

/Can I ask you something?/You just did./(He growled at me) You know what I mean./Go ahead./We're friends, right?/Of course!/Best friends?/Yes! 3/

He store at the heart for a second, then pointed to his chest.

/Yes, your heart./

He pointed to my chest. When I nodded, he grabbed my hand and put it on my chest. I hadn't realized how fast my heart was beating. He let go, and continued to write:

/Okay, friends then./Yup./I have another question./Ask away./

Instead of writing, he drew a picture of two stick figures (Hugging, I guess?) One said 'Ryou' and the other said 'Mariku'. My suspicions about the illustration were confirmed as he turned to me, arms spread but his face asked a question all its own, 'How do I do this?'

I leaned towards him, and gave him a hug. As my arms closed around his back, he tensed up and didn't do the same. I sat there. waiting, but he never returned the gesture.

"You're supposed to hug me back." I told him.

Slowly, Mariku's arms closed around me. I could tell he felt awkward. I felt a bit of embarrassment, but it rapidly faded as my body and surroundings began to drift away from me. My place was taken by something else, something dark.

_**Derp! Did you like it? Was it long enough? Too long? Always remember to R&R for better chapters!**_

_**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!**_


	4. Admit

"You're doing well."

I jumped away from him. "What? Ryou?"

"No, Akiefa." He smiled, "You're doing well."

"With what? What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're doing well. With Ryou?" He took off the Ring and put it next to him.

I glared at it. "How are you doing that? Aren't you and the Ring, like, bonded or something?"

"Technically, yes." He thought for a minute, "The power of the Millenium Ring is to find other Millenium Items and put little pieces of my soul everywhere, right?"

"Okay."

"Well, I've learned to do the exact _opposite_ and put _Ryou's_ soul into the Ring. We can kind of... Switch out, you know? So, _I _don't need to be in the Ring, it's just that _someone_ does. Follow?"

"I guess." Really, I didn't.

I look at the Ring, and made a grab for it. Bakura's thieving hands were too quick for me.

"Ah-ah-ah!" He chimed mockingly, "You can't have him!"

I eventually relaxed back into a sitting position. "So, there's no Ryou 'here'?" I gestured to his whole body.

"Nope. All here." He answered, pointing to the Ring.

We sat there for a while, me drinking hot chocolate and Bakura just sitting there, poking and prodding the Ring. He jumped once.

"Oops," He said to it, "Sorry."

"What did you do to him?" I felt defensive, and turned to him, Rod in hand, ready to strike.

"Accidentally pulled his hair. Since it obviously does, I'm trying to see _how_ the Ring hooks into human anatomy.

I'm not positive on the meaning of _anatomy_, but I heard Marik say something about the body and _anatomy_. I was guessing that Bakura has been messing with Ryou's body... Soul... Whatever. Maybe hurting him. I asked if he had.

"Oh, yah."

I lunge at him, but he quickly, with almost inhuman seed, pulls out a folding knife from his back pocket, flips it open, and holds it up to the Ring, the tip barely touching it.

"If I can pull his hair," His hand tensed, "I can do this, too." He dragged the knife down the Ring's side, a dull scraping sound of metal on metal vibrated. He winced. Did this hurt him, too, or was he just sorry for doing this to his host?

I could feel Ryou's fear, thick in the air. At least, I'm pretty sure it was his, and not my own.

I thought of something, quick. I took the Rod and put it over my left hand, my right hand holding the top, ready to push down.

"Two can play at this game, Bakura. Two . Can . Play."

Marik was yelling at me in my head, _Don't use me as bait! He's too friggin' proud to take it!_

Bakura and I sat like this for a while, and then he began to laugh.

"I see. Good thinking. I guess we both have something to lose from each other."

_I didn't think he'd believe you!_ Marik said, completely dumbfounded. _See, what did I tell you? I told you he loves me, I told you!_

_What do you mean, 'believe me'? I really would have done it, Marik._ This silenced him.

Bakura thrust the Ring into my hands. "You know, he really likes you, and I think you should tell him that you feel the same."

I held it close to my chest. _I won't let him hurt you again, Ryou_ "Since when do you care about us?"

"Ha! Who ever said I cared about _you_?" He laughed, "I care about Ryou. _Only_ a little bit, though. Just because he's my host. And I really think he deserves to know."

"And I'll tell him eventually." I told him.

He continued, hardly even pausing to listen to me, "I'll give you till midnight." I look at the clock. 9:54 P.M.

"WHAT!? WHY!?"

"I want to see if you can do it."

"And if I don't?"

He shrugged. "I'll just tell him myself." I really didn't like the sound of this.

"Okay, fine. I guess I have no choice but to play it your way." As I said this he dropped the Ring around his neck and closed his eyes for a moment. His hair lost a lot of it's shape, and his face became less tense, softer.

"So, can I know what you talked about this time?" Ryou half asked, half demanded.

"Sorry, I can't tell you." I hung my head. "It's private."

Ryou crossed his arms, sighed, and looked at the clock. "Well, I'm going to bed." He began to walk to his room, and suddenly stopped and turned back, only to see that I wasn't following. "Aren't you tired?"

Yes, I was. "Where do I sleep? There's only one room, one bed." Actually, there were two rooms, two beds, but one of them was the Pharaoh's and Yuugi's, and when he suggested it I told him that I had no Idea what they had done there, so no.

"Well, then, you're going to have to sleep with me, aren't you?" I found this a bit odd, but agreed reluctantly. I guess Bakura was having a good laugh right about now.

Mariku and I lie on my bed, him lying awfully close to the edge, on his back, and I curled up in a tight ball, against and facing the wall.

"So he hasn't told you anything?" Mariku said finally, after about five minutes of silence.

"Nothing in specific." I rubbed my arm. The pain resembled that of a cut, and I had to keep looking to make sure Yami hadn't actually sliced my arm open. It still hurt. So did my leg. And my head. God, I feel like crap. "What would he tell me?"

"Well..." Mariku seemed to be thinking deeply, "Uhh...We're..."

"We're...What?"

"Best friends?"

I giggled. "We went over this already." I rolled over to face him, even though I couldn't see him anyways.

"Never mind."

"Tell me."

"What?"

"_Tell me_" My tone was angry on accident, so I quickly changed it. "Sorry. I just... want to know what's so important. I just wanted to spend sometime with you, but Yami keeps butting in, and I would like to know what his deal is. He won't tell me, 'cause it's just so... hard to get stuff out of him. Please tell me?" I was begging, I know, but this was important to me. "Please?"

Mariku was a bit speechless, but he caught his voice eventually. "Really? You wanted to spend time with me? Blood-thirsty, psychotic, evil, ignorant, immature me?"

I realized what I had said too late. Had I really revealed that much? I covered my mouth with my hand, then slowly withdrew it.

"Y-Yes."

"Oh." We sat there, saying nothing for a moment. "So you really want to know what we've been talking about?" His voice was shaking a little.

"Every last detail."

"Every last detail, huh?" Though I couldn't see him, I could feel his tension.

"Well, I think that you're-" He paused, then coughed, "_Adbl_."

"What?" He never answered.

"Tell. Me." I poked his arm with each word, and he cringed away, growling, but poked me back twice, slowly.

This began a sort of call-and-response, only with poking. At first, he tried to evade my hand, but eventually accepted it. We both started out with obvious, hard pokes, but I slowly lightened my touch, hoping that he'd get the message and copy me. I eventually was just barely brushing the tips of his hairs. He could not do this, though utterly trying.

This continued for... I don't know how long, before I softly said again, "Tell me."

"I think you're Ad- Ad-" He couldn't speak right, though tried to sound as casual as possible as he said, "Adorable. Cute. Whatever."

"Oh. Th-Thanks, uhh..." I was suddenly thankful for the darkness, because I knew that my face was red. "That it?"

"Um..." He thought for a second, then sighed, "No."

"What else?" Bakura thought to me, though I'm sure it was directed at Mariku for whatever reason, "Do it! You're almost there!"

"I- I really like- I think I- I can't do this." He decided.

My Yami took over for a minute. "Yes, you can! Remember our deal?"

"That wasn't a deal, that was a threat!"

"You still have to take it!" I was suddenly given control back. "What was that about!?"

He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine. I tried to pull away, somewhat terrified, but some part of me said to stay, don't struggle. It will all be fine, "What are you-"

Mariku squeezed my hand, a friendly way of saying, "Shut up." So I did.

"I- I- Ryou, I really sort of like you." If I hadn't been laying down, I would have blown off my feet by this. "I think I may actually..." He paused, "L-L-L-Lo. Ve. Love. Love you." He released my hand, grabbed the millenium rod from the nightstand and began beating his head with it. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID! Now he hates me!"

I couldn't control the words that came out next. "I love you, too." I spilled out very quickly, almost inaudibly, and turned away from him. I tighten my curl. Hopefully he hadn't heard me...

"What?" Mariku demanded, as he ceased hitting himself, "What did you say?"

"Nothing!" I squeaked.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" He held up the Rod, threatening to stab me again.

"I said I love you, too..."

Mariku put down the Rod. "Oh, I see..." We sat in sheer quiet for a moment, but I could bet it was ages.

"Mariku?" But he didn't answer, so I assumed that he was asleep. I scoot a bit closer to him, and put myself against his side. I loosen my curl, so I am in more of a straight pose, because now my back hurt.

I begin to drift off, but he put his arm under my neck and across my back, his hand on my shoulder, and pulled me just a bit closer. I snuggle into his side. The last words I hear before I go to sleep were in my head, _So, he actually pulled it off_...


	5. End

I wake up the next morning, then looked at my alarm clock as I usually do when I don't set it. It said 10:03. This wasn't surprising, I usually sleep in like this. Yet I felt like I was forgetting something...

Mariku! Where was he? I look around and call his name. No answer, when I hear the front door open and close. Someone is here. I go to check who it was, and Mariku stood there, throwing off his coat and shoes.

"Where were you?" I demanded, "You scared me!"

"Well, hello to you, too. I was just taking a walk. To think, you know? A lot happened last night. I let early, hoping I'd be back before you woke up."

"Could've left a note..."

He shrugged. "Didn't think of it. Besides, what does it matter? I'm back now." He spread out his arms, as though presenting himself.

We now sat on a sofa, eating cereal, because it was the quickest thing to make for breakfast. I leaned on him as we ate, and it felt nice now that I didn't need an excuse to do it.

Suddenly, I felt his finger against my arm. As I put down my bowl to return the gesture, he scooted away. I had to lean a little bit to get him, but as I did he snatched my left hand in a tight grasp and pulled my body to his other side, my body almost dragging behind. I couldn't push myself up to see what he was doing, or pull away, so I decided to rely on my sense of touch, which didn't work out well untill felt something cold, smooth and hard slip over my finger.

"Is... Is that a _ring?_" I panicked. What was he doing?

He finally released my hand. I sat up and looked at it. On my finger was a thin silver ring with a blue gem in the middle. I could easily tell it wasn't real, though, the gem glistened with an unattural light, and the silver didn't seem to tarnish.

"I'm sorry it wasn't better, but I thought, 'hey, just something simple for now.' and maybe later I'll get him something... nicer." Mariku looked at me. "If you don't like it, it's fine..."

"No! I like it, I really do." This was true, it was a pretty ring. I was happy he chose silver and not gold, because silver would fit in better with my wardrobe. It also went nicely with the color of the gem. "It's gorgeous, really. Besides, it's the thought that counts." A silence, then: "What will my Yami say?"

This alarmed Mariku. His eyes widened a little. "Um... Tel him... If he asks..."

"Your Hikari and him are together, right?" He snorted at this but agreed. "So, tell him that it was ment for him. Just make sure Marik is in on it."

"Oh, he is." He seemed to only be half talking to me, half to Marik. "If he wasn't, I'd just 'persuade him' in the mindroom, where no one else is around to stop me."

"Same thing with Atem or Yuugi?"

"Same thing with everyone."

"Okay."

**And I'm not sure how to end it, so I'll stop here. Up next is another Fanfic that I've been working on for a month or two (I finished writing this one before I even typed it.) The next one will be longer, hopefully, and more well written. Anyways, bye for now.**

**NL**


	6. Epilouge

_**It's about two and a half years later. Bakura and Marik are married, just to say, and Yuugi and Atem are engaged. From that much, you can probobly tell where this is going. This chapter is somewhat because I really wanted to finish this story, and somewhat dedicated to Izuna the Fujoshi because reasons.**_

_**Also, They seperated bodies because I SAID SO.**_

I grab most of my thick hair in a bunch. With my other hand, I slip the hairtie on my wrist over my hand, to hold my hair in place. I then took off my shirt, I came in my swimming trunks. We were at a river, just to swim.

My feet take my over to the shore. When my toes touch the water, I jump back.

"Cold..." I mumble to myself. Yuugi and Atem were already in the water, along with my Yami, who was impatiently waiting for Marik. I thought that Mariku was in, but he might still be getting ready.

"Hurry up!" he called, "Just because you're a freaking diva doesn't mean you need to look perfect for everything!"

"I am _not_ a diva! And, yes, I do!" Marik called back.

"Well, hurry up with it!"

"You can't rush perfection."

"I'm not rushing perfection, I'm rushing you!"

I join the fight. "I didn't drive you guys here so that you two could argue! We're here to have fun." I added to Bakura, "It's his loss, so let him take his time."

"You sure are taking your time getting in."

The water was up to my knees. "It's cold."

"Aww, you get used to it." He dove under the water, averting the rest of the conversation.

"Jerk." I say as I sink in a few more inches, but then Marik came running out of the van, and dove into the water. The splash hit me, and I covered my face, but a moment too late.

Marik popped up next to his husband. "See, now you're wet. May as well get in now."

"Yah, c'mon." My head snaps over to see that Mariku had gotten into the water whe I wasn't looking. "It's actually nice."

"I'm getting there."

"Fine."

I continue stalling my arrival. When I was about up to my stomach, I realized that everyone was looking at me, except Mariku, who had sneaked past me again. I don't bother to look for him, he's probobly underwater again. Marik suddenly snickered, when I realized that the were looking _behind_ me instead of at me. I was about half way turned around, when I feel a hand push my shoulder and I yelp, falling down.

As my body smacks the river, I am engulfed in a feeling of cold. I didn't know wich way was up and wich was down, so I hold out my hands and feel rocks. Okay, I was facing the ground. I flip over to go up, only to find Mariku hovering over me. He had me trapped to the riverbed between his arms, I couldn't go anywhere until he freed me. He sank down until our noses were almost touching, then kissed me.

I'll say it right now, underwater kisses have thier pros and cons. I mean, it's great, but sand getting into your mouth isn't fun. Also, river water isn't very tasty. But still, it is what it is. Then I realize, I'm running out of air. I didn't breath before I was shoved underwater. I push Mariku off and rise to the surface.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" I yell at him, yet I can't help but smile and laugh at the gesture. "If you wanted to kiss me, you could have asked."

"Nah, asking you would bring up the chance of you saying 'no'. I wouldn't want that, would I?" He was laughing to.

"Well, why would I say no to that?" Ryou was still gasping for breath. I felt kind of bad for pushing him, but he seemed okay with it. At least I let him up when I did, or else I may have drowned him. Well, that's in the past. He's fine.

"Eh. You just might have. I don't know. Why would you say 'yes'?"

"Uh, because I love you?"

He stood there for a moment. "Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you love me?"

Ryou was stumped by my question. "Well, uh, what's not to love? You're definenly a protector, for one thing, I would probobly be dead for many reasons by now if it wasn't for you."

"Yah, but I'm usually the one who gets you into trouble."

He reached foreward and grabbed one of my hands with both of his. "But it makes life so much more interesting! Before I met you, I was a stay home nerd who took absolutely no risks. Now, I actually kind of have a life. You're fun. You're kind. Yah, okay, you have your faults, but we all do. All of us. Even me, even Atem, even Bakura, Marik, Yuugi, and you." He smiled. "But for every bad trait in you, there's always another one that's a million times better."

"Uh-" I didn't know what to say to this. "I... That... Right back at you?" I wasn't good with words.

"You were a stay at home nerd who didn't take risks, either?" He chuckled.

"No, the opposite. I was an insane psosiopathic who didn't know when enough was enough."

Ryou looked over at Bakura and mouthed something, I couldn't tell what it was, but Bakura just nodded to him in response. He let go of my hand and told me to go swim or somthing and then dove headfirst into the water.

We swam for about another half hour, then began to get cold. "Okay, where are the towels?" Yuugi asked, shivering on the land nearest to the river.

Ryou hit his own face in disbelief. "Bloody Hell! They're in the car. I'll go get them." and he ran off.

About five minutes passed. I was sitting on the ground, along with almost everyone else. Excepy Atem, who was pacing around. "Would someone go see what's taking him?"

They were all staring at me. "What? Can't you get him? You're already up."

"Oh, weh. He's your boyfriend."

"You know I don't like that word."

"Fine, he's your _mate_. Either way, go get him." Ryou and I had decided a while ago that niether of us really liked the word _boyfriend_, so we called eachother _mates_. It just sounded better to us.

"Thank you." I stood up, and walked over to the van. What awaited me was to be expected. Ryou was holding a pile of towels, just about to come back. "What took you?"

"I was looking for something."

"What?"

"T-Towels. I couldn't find any of them."

"Any?"

"Y-Yah, any."

"Well, where were they, then? I though Marik put them in the back."

"In the-"

"What were you really doing here?"

Ryou sighed, and handed me the towels. "Just take them."

I took the towels from him but stayed. "What were you doing?"

"Nothing!" He stomped off in the direction of the others.

"Well, someone's on his man-period." I followed him and handed out the towels. I realized that I had two left over, One for me, and one for Ryou, who was putting a piece of gum in his mouth. I hand him his towel and walk away.

"I'm sorry." I whip around to Ryou, who was already wrapped in his red cloth. "For yelling at you. I probobly should have told you what I was looking for."

"It's fine." I drape the remaining towel over my own shoulders, and begin to walk away, but he was following me.

"Don't you want to know what I found?"

"Oh, you found it? What w-" I was silenced by his lips, and accepted it for a few seconds until I realized that something was in his mouth. Suprisingly, it wasn't gum. I manuvered my toungue, taking it from him, and pulled away.

I spit it out into my hand. A gold ring lay there, with three tiny diamonds embeloshing the front. One in the middle, bigger than the two to either of it's sides.

"What's..." I trail off when I look at him. He had knelt down on one knee, and was looking up at me.

"I think you know what I'm about to ask." I did.

"Ryou..."

"Marry me?" I was totally toungue-tied by this boy. After a pause, he said, "Do I need to repeat myself, or did you just not understand? Will you marry me?"

I took a moment. By the time I finally spoke, he looked worried. "Y-Yes, of course. I will."

Making out without water and without rings is so much better than with them. Of course, it's better to have the ring on your finger.

_**Well, NOW I'm done. I upped the coryness meter to OVER 9000! Okay, so... were you happy, Izuna? I actually am. Bye, and be sure to read my other fanfiction, **__**A Thief's Old Friend.**_


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